Huller type gin with fire front



July 22, 1941- I J. J. WALLACE 2,250,431

HULLER TYPE GIN' WITH FIRE FRONT Filed D60. 5, 1940 5 ShetSf-Sheet 1 i lMa-7.72555' @www July 22,1941. J. J. wALLAcE 2,250,431

HULLER TYPE GIN WITH FIRE FRONT Filed Dec. 5, 1940 .s sheets-sheet 2-July 22, 1941- I `.1. J. WALLACE' I 2,250,431

HULLER TYPE GIN WITH FIRE FRONT Filled Dec. 5. 1940 f s sheets-sheet sfwww@ Patented July 22, 1941 NT ortica HULLER TYPE GIN WITH FIRE FRONTJe'rey J. Wallace, Amite, La., assignor to Gullett Gin Company, Amte,La., a corporation of Louisiana 12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cotton gins of that type inwhich the cotton is fed first to a huller breast before entering theroll box, and it has for one of its objects the provision of a swingablysuspended front for the huller breast which when in normal closedposition guides cotton, descending from the feeding spout, into themouth of the hulling chamber, and which when swung to open positionstands out of the way of the column of descending cotton so that thelatter impinging first against the outside wall of the roll box, isdeflected so as to by-pass the mouth of the hulling chamber and isdischarged upon the floor in front of the gin.

This is Vdesirable when foreign matter is delivered to the gin in thecotton, or in case of fire that may have originated in other parts ofthe cotton ginning outfit, to prevent the fire entering the gin.

Another object oi the invention is to provide, in a huller gin of thetype described, 'including the usual huller drum and conveyor, in thehulling chamber, of a swinging breast front as described, having a bafe,and a screen beneath the .conveyor with a guard member hinged at theouter edge of the screen and having a portion adjacent the lower end ofthe barile forming a substantial continuation of said baiiie when thebreast front and the hinged guard mem-ber are both in closed position,for guiding the cotton to the huller drum, said guard member beingswingable to open position after the breast front has been swung open orbodily removed, giving access to the space between the conveyor andscreen so that foreign matter may readily be cleared from said space.

A further object of the invention is to provide for adjustment of thehuller drum to and from the saws, to carry the usual bristle board whichcooperates with the huller drum, on the guiding portion of the hingedguard member, and to provide operating means between said huller drumand said hinged guard member whereby the latter, and with it the bristleboard, will be moved simultaneously with the huller drum, in theadjustment of the latter, so as to keep the bristles substantially thesame distance from the huller drum in all positions of its adjustment.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following descriptionof a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawings which accompany and for-m a part of the followingspecification, and throughout the several figures of which the samecharacters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts:

Figure lisa vertical side section through that portion of a cotton ginof the huller type which` embodies the subject invention, the breastfront and hinged member being shown in closed cooperable positions;

Figure ,2 is a similar view, unessential parts being omitted, showingthe front and hinged guard member in opened swung positions;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure1, viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a side view in elevation of the levers and linkageconstituting the adjusting means between the shaft of the huller drumand the cam shaft which adjusts the position of the hinged guard memberand the bristle board carried thereby;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2,showing the detents for maintaining the swinging front in openly swungposition; 'and Figure 6 is a horizontal cross-section taken along theline 6-6 of Figure 1 showing the detents which hold the front in closedposition.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral I representsin general a cotton gin of the huller type having the saw cylinder 2with the saws 3, which normally extend between the ribs 4 and 5 of therespective ginning and hulling breasts 6 .and 'I. The inner or ginningbreast B is pivoted to the gin frame at 8, while the outer or hullingbreast is pivoted to the in-ner breast at 9. The upper parts of the twobreasts define the roll box IB.

The outer breast has the opposite side walls I I and I2, the upper rearwall I3 which forms the outer or movable side of the roll box, the lowerrear wall I4 which includes the huller ribs 5, and bottom and forwardstructure comprising the screen I5 and the guard member I5, the latterbeing hinged at I1 adjacent the front end to the screen. The lowerportions of the side walls, together with the lower rear wall, thescreen I5 and the hinged member I6 define a hulling chamber in thellower part of the outer breast in which is located the conventional.huller drum I8,-and beneath it the conveyor I9. The lower part of theconveyor rotates in close proximity to the screen I5, the latter havinga concave shape corresponding to the shape Aof the conveyor.

yThe mouth of the hulling chamber is represented by the dotted line a.,b, and lies in a plane extending in a downward `and outward direction.

The upper rear wall I3 of the outer breast also inclnes downwardly andoutwardly and is in the path of the gravitational descent of cottondelivered from suitable feeding means located above the open top of thehuller breast. When the cotton strikes the downwardly and outwardlyinclined surface of the wall I3, it is deected into a trajectory, thepath of which by-passes the mouth a, b, of the hulling chamber.

The outer breast 'I is provided with a front 2E! which extends betweenthe side walls II and I2 and is hingedly suspended along an axis 2llocated at some distance above the mouth of the hulling chamber. Thefront 28 is free to swing open from the bottom about the axis 2l. Thefront 2l] is provided with spring detents 22 and 23 on each sideadjacent its lower end', which detents cooperate with correspondingrecesses 2d and 25 formed in the side walls of the huller breast. Whenthe front 2i) is in the closed position shown in Figure l, the detents22 and 23 have sprung into the recesses 24 andy 25, thereby holding thefront firmly in closed position. By grasping the rod 26 which forms thebottom edge of the front 28, at any point transversely of the front, onemay swing the front outwardly, releasing said detents.

Near its upper end the front is provided on both sides with thelaterally projecting spring detents 2l and 2B. These normally abutagainst the smooth sides of the huller breast when the front is inclosed position, but when it is swung out sufficiently, as indicated inFigure 2, said detents slip beyond the edges of the side walls I! and I2and project against the ends of said side walls, holding the front inoutwardly swung position. It may be closed by pushing against the lowerbar 2S so as to depress said4 detents by camming them against the edgesof the side walls II and I2.

It will be observed from Figure` l that the front 2E! has an inwardlyand downwardly inclined baffle 29 which extends transversely between theside walls of the huller breast and terminates adjacent the mouth of thehulling chamber. This barile is in the path of the trajectory of thecolumn of cotton deflected by the inclined wall I3, and guides thecotton to the mouth or the hulling chamber. When the front is in itsoutwardly swung position shown in Figure 2, the baille 29 is removedfrom the path of the descending column of cotton so that the latter,deflected by the wall I3, is unobstructed in its passage through thebreast, and is discharged upon the floor in front of the gin withouthaving passed into the hulling chamber. Should a foreign body such as asack come down with the cotton, or should the cotton be on fire when itreaches the gin, the front 2B may be quickly swung to its open position,preventing the sack or the fire, as the case may be, from getting intothe mechanism of the gin.

The upper end 30 of the hinged member i6 is inwardly and downwardlyinclined toward the huller drum I8, and when the front 2l) and hingedmember I Ei are both in closed position, the inner end 30 of the lattermember forms a substantial continuation of the baiiie 29' in guiding thecotton toward the huller drum. Said inner endv 30 forms an advantageousas well as convenient support for the bristle board 3| carrying theusual row of bristles 32 which cooperate with the, huller drum.Thehinged iff member I5 is biased towards closed position by a spring 33which is preferably bent into a loop having one end anchored to a lug 34on the back of the hinged member I 6 adjacent the hinge i7, and havingits other end anchored to the side wall of the breast. It iscontemplated that there shall be two such springs, one at each side ofthe hinged member I6. When the hinged member is swung to the openedposition shown in broken lines at II in Figure 2, the spring movesbodily to the dotted line position indicated at 33 in Figure 2 where itis ineffective in closing the hinged member, so that the latter liesopen as shown. In all intermediate positions the spring 33 urges thehinged member to close.

rEhe hinged member may be opened after the front 20 has been swung toits open position or after it has been bodily removed. Removal of thefront is accomplished by means of the slot connection 35 by means ofwhich it is suspended from the axis 2l. The purpose of opening thehinged member I6 is to permit the space between the conveyor i9 andscreen I5 to be cleared of the accumulation of foreign matter.

It is customary to provide an adjustment for moving the huller drumtoward or away from the gin saws in order to secure optimum eifrciencyof ginning due to the character of staple and other factors, and it isessential or at least desirable, that the bristle board should belikewise adjustable so that the bristles can maintain their properdistance relationship with respect to the teeth of the huller drum inall positions of adjustment of the latter. With this end in view, I haveprovided for simultaneous adjustment of the huller drum and bristleboard, as iollows. Figure 4 shows a manual operating lever 35 which ispivotally mounted on the outside of one of the side walls of, the cottongin, for example, the side wall I2. This has a suitable detent 3l whichcoacts with a rack 38 for holding the lever 36 in any position ofadjustment. The lower end of this lever is suitably 'y keyed to a shaft39 which passes transversely through the shaft inside of the hingedmember i5 and has its opposite ends journaled in the opposite side wallsII and I2. This shaft is provided with cams 4D which bear against theinner side of the hinged member I6, and when the shaft is turned in thedirection of the arrow shown in Figure 1, the cams press outwardlyagainst the hinged member I6, moving it outwardly against the closingbias of its spring 33. As the hinged member I6 moves outwardly, itcarries with it the bristle board 3| and the row of b-ristles 32. Whenthe shaft 39 is moved contra to the direction of the arrow in Figure l',the cams 40 recede, permitting the spring 33 to move the hinged memberI6 in its closing direction.

In addition to turning the shaft 3S, the lever 3E is concerned withoperating a set of mechanism which is duplicated on opposite sides ofthe huller breast. YOne set only will, therefore, be described. Thisconsists of abearing 4I carrying the end of the shaft 152 of the hullerdrum and movable in a slot 4.3 in the side wall I2 of the huller gin.This bearing'is part `of a lever M which is pivoted at 45 to the sidewall I2. The lever 40. is oscillated by a linll: 46 pivotally connectedat one end to` said vlever andat the other end to the operating lever36. When the operating lever moves to the right, as shown in Figure 4,the shaft 33 turns clockwise and the lever d4 oscillates to the right.Thus, simultaneously with the translatory movement of the huller drumaway from the gin saws, the hinged member I6 and with it the bristleboard and bristles is moved to the right by the clockwise turning of theshaft 39. When the lever 36 is moved toward the left, the lever 44oscillates toward the left, bringing the huller drum closer to the saws.Simultaneous with this movement the shaft 39 is turned in acounterclockwise direction, causing recession of the cams and move-vment of v the hinged member i6 in a closing direction under the urge ofits spring 33. This causes the bristle board and bristles to follow inthe direction of'adjustment of the huller drum. Thus, by the aboveadjustment the distance of the bristles from the huller drum is keptsubstantially constant throughout the range of adjustment of the hullerdrum.

In Figure 4 is shown a link 41 -carrying a roller i8 which bears againstthe chain B9 that drives the huller drum. This is simply a conventionalchain tightener for taking up slackness in the chain produced by theadjustment of the huller drum in a direction away from the saws.

It will be understood from the `above disclosure that I have provided asimple and effective means for by-passing the cotton while Ibeing fed tothe gin, past the mouth of the hulling chamber, which may be operatedwith the quickness and dispatch essential in an emergency; that I havealso provided an effective means for giving access to the screen andconveyor for removing obstructions or accumulations of foreign matter,and that I have employed these means as an adjunct in providingsimultaneous adjustment of the huller drum and bristle board when thelatter is adjusted towards or from the gin saws.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the specific detailsof construction and the arrangement of parts as shown and described `areby way of example and not to be construed as limiting the scope of theinvention which is defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Cotton gin of the huller type having inner and outer breasts definingbetween them a roll box, the outer breast having side walls and a lowerrear wall including the huller ribs, and having bottom and forwardenclosing structure, the lower parts of said side walls cooperating withsaid lower rear wall and said bottom and forward enclosing structure toform a hulling chamber having its mouth in a downwardly and forwardlyinclined plane, a huller drum in said hulling chamber, said outer breasthaving an upper rear wall in the path of cotton received from a feedingmeans and inclined so as to direct the cotton in a trajectory which inthe absence of opposing structure will by-pass the mouth of said hullingchamber, a front for said outer breast pivotally suspended :at its top`at -a point above said mouth, having an inwardly and downwardlyinclined baffle on its inner side for deecting the column of cotton intosaid mouth when the front is closed, said front being swingableoutwardly to a non-obstructing position permitting the cotton to by-passsaid mouth, said enclosing structure including an outwardly swingableportion hinged at its lower end, having its upper end portion inwardlyand downwardly directed and adjacent the lower end of said bale whensaid front and said hinged member are closed, forming a continuation ofsaid baffle. Y

2. Cotton ginas claimed in claim 1,-including a bristle board carried bysaid upper end portion of said'hinged member having its bristles inoperative proximity to said huller drum.

V3. Cotton gin of the huller type having inner andV outer breasts deningbetween them a roll box, the outer breast having side walls and a lowerrear wall including the huller ribs, and having bottom and forwardenclosing structure, the lower parts of said side walls cooperating withsaid lower rear Wall and said bottom and forward enclosing structure toform a hulling chamber having its mouth in a downwardly and forwardlyinclined plane, a huller drum in said hulling chamber anda conveyor insaid hulling chamber below said huller drum, said outer breast having anupper rear wall in the path of cotton received from a feeding means andinclined so as to direct the cotton in a trajectory which in the absenceof opposing structure will by-pass the mouth of said hulling chamber, :afront for said outer breast pivotally suspended at its top Iat a pointabove said mouth, having an inwardly and downwardly inclined baffle onits inner side for deflecting the column of cotton into said mouth whensaid front is closed, said front being swingable outwardly to anon-obstructing position permitting the cotton to by-pass said mouth,said enclosing structure including `a screen beneath said conveyor andan outwardly swingable member hinged at its lower end adjacent saidscreen, having its Y upper end portion inwardly and downwardly directedand adjacent the lower end of said baliie when said front `and saidhinged member lare closed, forming substantially va, continuation ofsaid baille.

4. Cotton gin as claimed in claim 3, including a bristle board carriedby the upper end portion of said hinged member having its bristles inoperative proximity to said huller drum.

5. Cotton gin of the huller type having inner and outer breasts definingbetween them a roll box, the outer breast having side walls and a lowerrear wall including the huller ribs, and having bottom and forwardenclosing structure, the lower parts of said side walls cooperating withsaid lower rear wall and said bottom and forward enclosing structure toform a hulling chamber, a huller drum in said hulling chamber cooperablewith gin saws projecting between the huller ribs, and a conveyor in saidhulling chamber below said huller drum, said enclosing structureincluding a screen beneath said conveyor and `an outwardly swingablemember hinged at its lower end adjacent said screen, having its upperend portion inwardly directed toward said huller drum, a bristle boardcarried by said inwardly directed end having its bristles in operativeproximity to said huller drum, a spring biasing said hinged membertoward its closed position, and means for simultaneously ladjusting saidhuller drum away from said saws and moving said hinged member in anopening direction against the bias of said closing spring whereby saidbristles maintain constant their relationship with respect to saidhuller drum.

6. Cotton gin as claimed in claim 5, said adsaid hinged member forurging it in an-opening direction against the bias of its closingspring, linkage between the axis of said huller drum and said shaft forturning the latter when said axis is translated, and a hand lever foroperating said linkage.

7. Cotton gin of the huller type having inner and outer breasts deningbetween them a roll box, the outer breast having side walls and a lowerrear wall including the huller ribs, and having bottom and forwardenclosing structure, the lower parts of said side walls cooperating withsaid lower rear wall and said bottom and forward enclosing structure toform a hulling chamber having its mouth in a downwardly and forwardlyinclined plane, a huller drum in said hulling chamber cooperating withgin saws projecting between said ribs and a conveyor in said hullingchamber below said huller drum, said outer breast having an upper rearwall in the path of cotton received from a feeding means and inclined soas to direct the cotton in a trajectory which in the absence of opposingstructure will by-pass the mouth of said hulling chamber, a front forsaid outer breast pivotally suspended at its top at a point above saidmouth having an inwardly and downwardly inclined baille on its innerside for deflecting the column oi cotton into said mouth when said frontis closed, said front being swingable outwardly to a non-obstructingposition permitting the cotton to by-pass said mouth, said enclosingstructure including a screen beneath said conveyor and an outwardlyswingable member hinged at its lower end adjacent said screen, havingits upper end portion inwardly and downwardly directed adjacent thelower end of said baille when said front and said hinged member areclosed, forming substantially a continuation of said baie, a bristleboard carried by the upper end portion of said hinged member having itsbristles in operative proximity to said huller drum, a spring biasingsaid hinged member towards its closed position, and means forsimultaneously adjusting said huller drum away from said saws and movingsaid hinged member in an opening direction against the bias of saidclosing spring whereby said bristles maintain substantially constanttheir relationship with respect to said huller drum.

8. Cotton gin as claimed in claim '7, said adjusting means comprising alever for translating the axis of said huller drum bodily away from saidsaws, a shaft extending transversely of said outer breast adjacent theinner side of said hinged member, cams on said shaft engaging saidhinged member for urging it in an opening direction against the bias ofits closing spring, linkage between the axis of said huller drum andsaid shaft for turning the latter when said axis is translated, and ahand lever for operating said linkage.

9. Cotton gin of the huller type having inner and outer breasts denningbetween them a roll box, the outer breast having side walls and a lowerrear wall including the huller ribs, and having bottom and forwardenclosing structure, the lower parts of said side walls cooperating withsaid lower rear wall and said bottom and forward enclosing structure toform a hulling chamber having its mouth in a downwardly and forwardlyinclined plane, a huller drum in said hulling chamber, said outer breasthaving an upper rear wall in the path of cotton received from a feedingmeans and inclined so as to direct the cotton in a trajectory which inthe absence of opposing structure will by-pass the mouth of said hullingchamber, a front for said outer breast pivotally suspended at its top ata point above said mouth, for deiiecting the column of cotton into saidmouth when the front is closed, said front being swingable outwardly toa non-obstructing position permitting the cotton to by-pass said mouth,said enclosing structure including an outwardly swingable portion hingedat its lower end, having its upper end portion inwardly and downwardlydirected and adjacent the lower end of said front when closed, forming acontinuation of said front.

10. Cotton gin as claimed in claim 9, including a bristle board carriedby said upper end portion of said hinged member having its bristles inoperative proximity to said huller drum.

l1. Cotton gin of the huller type having inner and outer breastsdefining between them a roll box, the outer breast having side walls anda lower rear wall including the huller ribs, and having bottom andforward enclosing structure, the lower parts of said side wallscooperating with said lower rear wall and said bottom and forwardenclosing structure to form a hulling chamber having its mouth in adownwardly and forwardly inclined plane, a huller drum in said hullingchamber and a conveyor in said hulling chamber below said huller drum,said outer breast having an upper rear wall in the path of cottonreceived from a feeding means and inclined so as to direct the cotton ina trajectory which in the absence of opposing structure will by-pass themouth of said hulling chamber, a front for said outer breast fordeecting the column of cotton into said mouth, said enclosing structureincluding a screen beneath said conveyor and an outwardly swingablemember hinged at its lower end adjacent said screen, having its upperend portion inwardly and downwardly directed and adjacent the lower endof said pivoted front when said front is closed, forming substantially acontinuation of said front.

l2. Cotton gin as claimed in claim l1, including a bristle board carriedby the upper end portion of said hinged member having its bristles inoperative proximity to said huller drum.

JEFFREY J. WALLACE.

